Our latest home improvement project had us pouring a small cement patio out our back kitchen door. Deb and Ken's good friend, Connie (Conrad) Marsolek had offered to help us with this "simple" undertaking as a favor to Deb and Ken--what a nice guy! Turns out, this project was more than we anticipated it would be with all of the shoveling, leveling, and back-breaking labor (that last part is my opinion--I hope to not lay eyes on a shovel for a very long time!).

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Here is what my back yard looks like today!!!!

(thanks to Andrew for the wonderful picture...)

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Ken, Deb, and Connie helped Jamie and I get the site ready last weekend. Actually, Connie did all of the hard work in planning and figuring, as well as the labor. Ken, Jamie, and I were the "grunts"--did I mention my new-found dislike for shovels! And, Debbie was the Foreman, or Forewoman, as it maybe. True to administrative form, we caught our Forewoman napping on the job!~~~Jamie and Connie leveling the site...

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Kenny showing off his muscle with the sledgehammer!

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Connie and Ken--more leveling! Who knew there was this much work involved in pouring cement?!?

~~~Once the site was finally ready (after Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning of hard work!), the next job was keeping the dogs out of the dirt for the whole week! Believe me, they were curious and Sophie wanted to "help" dig the hole!~~~

Bright and early on Saturday (6:45 am), Connie showed up with his "guys" to pour our cement! It was VERY interesting to watch, and I was more than a little jealous of the guys that got to gush around in the cement with their rubber boots on--it looked like fun!

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Here is Connie supervising the cement loading into the wheelbarrow...

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The Finishers--see all of the rough cement they got to stomp around in behind them--kinda like cow manure in the pasture, but without the smell!

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Ken and Jamie--wheelin' in another load!~~~

The Cement Crew!

~~~Our cement looks great, and it will be nice to put a table and chairs out there to enjoy our back yard some more. Thanks to Connie and his crew and to Ken and Deb for all of their help with our "project"!

Fall Soccer Season is now in full-swing here in Barron, and Austin is right in the "thick" of things! We had our first game against Baldwin-Woodville on Thursday afternoon here in Barron. Austin is playing striker (offense) this year, and it looks like he will be a starter on the varsity. He played the whole game on Thursday, and he did really well!

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Here is Austin battling for control of the ball... ~~~

Austin has been doing the corner kicks for the team when the ball goes out of bounds on our end of the field. Our only goal of the night was scored when Austin kicked a beautifully placed corner kick into Bryant Strohmeyer and he kicked it into the goal! Austin got an assist on that goal--way to go, boys!

~~~Here is Austin performing a corner kick...

...and the follow through! (nice extention!)~~~fancy footwork!~~~Look who came to watch his brother's first game!

We ended up tied at the end of the game, 1 to 1. It was a good start for the beginning of the season of BHS soccer!

Little Allie celebrated her 3rd birthday on August 18th--she is a BIG GIRL now! The Squirrel was able to go to Rochester to celebrate Allie's birthday on the weekend with cousin Emily and Auntie Morgan--no Dora party this year, the Big Girl celebrated with a Disney Princess Party!

On August 14th, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law/cousin (weird, isn't it!) celebrated their NINTH wedding anniversary! I can't believe it has already been nine years since they "tied the knot"! I still remember their first date like it was yesterday...

It was winter of 1995, and I was very pregnant with Andrew (translation: FAT). Jamie and I "double-dated" with Chad and Nicole for their first date. There was a huge snow storm that night, but Chad braved the bad roads to meet Nicole in Chippewa, and the rest is history!

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Here is the happy couple at Christmas in 1996!Congratulations on nine years, Chad and Nic! Thanks for sharing them with our family!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

On Friday, August 1, Jamie's grandma Meme passed away. She was able to have her last moments at home, in her own bed, surrounded by family--just as she and Grandpa Edward wanted it to be. She was a very special lady who loved her grandkids very much. We will miss Meme, and will always remember her with love...

Romelle BaeckerINDEPENDENCE - Romelle Gertrude (Lisowski) Baecker, 86, joined her beloved sister, Dorothy, in Heaven on Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. She left this earth peacefully holding the hand of her dear husband of 64 years, Edward, and surrounded by her family's prayers.Romelle was born Aug. 26, 1921, on the home farm in Traverse Valley, rural Independence, to Paul and Gertrude (Sosalla) Lisowski. She was baptized and confirmed at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Independence. Romelle married Edward Baecker on Jan. 11, 1944, at SS. Peter and Paul Church. Together, Ed and Romelle purchased the home farm from her parents and farmed there for 24 years. After moving to town, Romelle worked for Lyga's store for eight years and drove bus to transport the handicapped for eight years. She was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Women's Organization and also the head of the SS. Peter and Paul Rosary Society for many years.Romelle will be sadly missed by her beloved husband, Edward; her niece, Debra Klimek, whom Romelle and Edward raised and loved as their own daughter; and Debra's husband, Ken, of Independence; grandson, Jamie (Shana) Klimek of Barron; grand-daughter, Nicole (Chad) Dorwin of Durand; great-grand-children, Austin, Andrew, and Abigail Klimek and Carter and Bradley Dorwin. Romelle is further survived by many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and many friends.Romelle was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Raymond Lisowski; her sisters, Virginia Lisowski and Dorothy Baecker; and a great-grandson, Jacob Gabriel Dorwin.Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008, at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Independence, with Rev. Msgr. Edmund Klimek officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.Friends and family may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at Edison Funeral Home, Independence, where there will be a prayer service followed by a rosary at 7:15 p.m. Monday."...good-bye for now, 'Meme'It was time for us to partBut know that you're in our memoriesAnd live forever in our hearts."